Hospital chiefs have accused Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer of making the NHS the scapegoat for the coronavirus crisis in care homes.

Labour has wrongly blamed the NHS for discharging patients with suspected Covid-19 into care homes, while the prime minister has responded by pointing the finger at doctors to distract from a failure to provide testing and PPE to social care staff, health bosses claim.

NHS Providers says the hospital chiefs they represent are “resentful” that the parties have both tried to blame the health service for deaths in care homes caused by decades of political neglect of social care.

Life inside a care home during coronavirus lockdown

At least 11,000 people have died of coronavirus in care homes. Sir Keir has attacked the government over a decision to allow